The death toll at a government hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded district has risen to 31 following the recent passing of seven more patients.
Among the deceased, there were 15 children and 16 adults.
According to a social media post by the Nanded District Information Office (DIO), the breakdown of patient deaths at the Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital is as follows: 24 deaths occurred between September 30 and October 1, while seven more occurred between October 1 and 2.
The post reassured the public, saying, 'Please do not panic. A team of doctors is ready.'
Hospital authorities on Monday had attributed the deaths to a shortage of medicines. The hospital's dean revealed that among the deceased children, there were six girls and six boys, while the adults succumbed to various ailments, including snake bites.
He explained that the hospital serves as a 'tertiary-level care centre,' drawing patients from a wide area due to its status as the sole healthcare facility within a 70-80 km radius.
This influx of patients sometimes exceeds the hospital's budget, resulting in medicine shortages, he added.
However, the hospital released a statement on Tuesday contradicting earlier claims of medicine shortages, stating that the patients were already in their 'last stage.'
The Maharashtra cabinet is set to discuss the Nanded Hospital deaths during a meeting today, and there may be discussions regarding the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate the incident, as per a Maharashtra government official.
